Nightlight units which can be plugged into duplex outlets are well-known. They suffer from two conflicting problems. When nightlights known in the prior art are designed for easy replacement, they are easily removable, which is likely to be found undesirable where the public congregates or waits. A nightlight which has been removed exposes the duplex receptacle contacts to prying small fingers and deprives the area of the desired nighttime lighting, creating a safety hazard. However, when nightlights known in the prior art are designed to be secured in place to discourage theft, they are difficult to remove for maintenance when they burn out, and thus are often not replaced sufficiently promptly as the replacement procedure necessitates employment of an electrician. Conventional use of normal life bulbs exacerbates the maintenance problem.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 5,330,267 to Hendrix (issued Oct. 13, 1992) illustrates an ornamental design for a combined night light and electrical outlet cover. This design patent does not disclose how it is mechanically and electrically connected. It also extends a great distance behind the cover plate, and thus requires a dedicated wiring box. It does not show blade plugs which can simply be inserted into an existing receptacle. Bulb replacement procedures are not apparent. There is no room in the ordinary wiring box for a receptacle into which plugs can be inserted.
The patent to Tiffany (U.S. Des. Pat. No. 2,015,698 (Oct. 1, 1935) illustrates a switch cover plate incorporating a lamp which extends forward of the switch plate, in which the lamp is hard-wired (via pigtail lead eyelets) in parallel (shunt) of the switch contacts to indicate an "OFF" condition. That is, the lamp is only illuminated when the switch is open and the switched device conducts significant current. A circuit safety hazard could be presented by this device as current is allowed to flow continuously; e.g., via the switch contacts when the switch is closed, and via the bulb when the switch contacts are open.
The patent to Linton (U.S. Pat. No. 2,420,000 (May 6, 1947) illustrates a cover plate for a switch which incorporates a lamp in a special switch cover plate. Linton is directly hard-wired via pigtail leads to the connection terminals of the switch. It is not directed to a nightlight which plugs into a receptacle.
The United States patent to Gaines (U.S. Pat. No. 3,588,489, issued Jun. 28, 1971) illustrates an electroluminescent panel exposed through a special aperture in the triple receptacle. The triple receptacle shown is unusual, and requires a special triple cover plate with an aperture substituted for the middle receptacle socket. The electroluminescent lamp panel receives electrical current through contacts which plug into the special middle socket.
The invention disclosed in Sakellaris' U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,780, issued Mar. 10, 1981, is directed to a jewelled illumination means substituted for a mounting screw. Light conveyed along an optical fiber is conveyed through the special jewelled illumination mounting screw. It would be expected to produce a very limited amount of light and is primarily directed to identify the location of an associated light switch in a darkened room.
Two United States patents have been issued to K. Q. Rice; the earlier Rice patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,613, dated Oct. 14, 1986) is directed to a duplex receptacle cover with an integral light. The form and arrangement of the dual-function contacts permits use of the second outlet of the duplex receptacle, unlike the embodiments of the present invention to disclosed herein. A first contact blade is V-shaped so as to present a female contact to the front and a male contact on the back which plugs into the "hot" side of the receptacle. The remaining contact (i.e., spring element 18) contacts ground to complete the circuit. The ground lead of the bulb does not complete its circuit to the neutral phase, which may not be permitted by some electrical codes.
The later Rice patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,641, dated Sep. 27, 1988) discloses a duplex cover with an add-on light (bolted from the rear of the cover plate). It, too, avoids covering the duplex receptacles, through use of two of the V-shaped dual-function blade contacts which accept plug blades thereinto. The cover plate and outlet body cooperate to assure blade socket and ground socket alignment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,911 to Hanson discloses a permanently affixed conventional nightlight design which further includes a bracket in the special cover plate front face a U-shaped flange 16 for frictionally holding the lamp portion upright. The illuminating end and the connecting end are specified as being disposed at a 90-degree angle to one another. Includes a small lip extending over the cover plate mounting screw hole for permanently securing the nightlight. It uses a hex screw for securing the cover plate.
None of the foregoing discloses a nightlight which includes, in a single unitary fixture, the combination of an outlet cover plate having a rearward extending set of male contacts which cover and plug directly into a first set of the duplex outlet receptacle contacts and a nightlight portion having extended life characteristics and extending forward of the cover plate. Nor do any of the foregoing disclose a duplex receptacle cover which provides a relatively permanently affixed, long life nightlight covering a first one of the receptacles and a plate portion covering the remaining receptacle.
In view of the foregoing limitations and shortcomings of the prior art devices, as well as other disadvantages not specifically mentioned above, it should be apparent that there still exists a need in the art for a safe, long-life nightlight. It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to fulfill that need by providing a combination duplex outlet cover plate and nightlight having a long-life illuminant and incorporating safety and security advantages.
A feature of the invention reside in the fact that the unit simply and easily plugs into a standard duplex outlet. Another feature of the nightlight disclosed herein is that long-life illumination elements are used to avoid short bulb life and limit frequent maintenance operations to replace burned out bulbs. Yet another feature of the present invention is the inclusion of a cover over the remaining receptacle to avoid injury to children.
These and other objects, features, and advantages are accomplished with the combination nightlight and cover plate disclosed herein.